From Southern California to Washington, D.C., a week for public outrage: Editorial

Chas Kelley, being placed in handcuffs Thursday at San Bernardino Superior Court, resigned as a city councilman and dropped out of the mayoral race after pleading guilty to perjury in a case involving misuse of campaign funds. (Photo by LaFonzo Carter/Staff Photographer)

Well, it sure was a week for politicians behaving badly. The world knows about the foolishness in the U.S. Congress. And here in Southern California we’ve watched a freak parade of public officials accused of — and some admitting to — abuses of power.

It’s no stretch to wonder if there’s more than a rhetorical connection between the scandals locally and in Washington, D.C., and if more blood-boiling outrage about the ailing political culture here might start to cure the sickness there.

The week’s regional rap sheet: Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar faced a lawsuit alleging he harassed an aide with whom he admits having an affair, and retaliated when she began to refuse his sexual advances. New details emerged in the harassment claims against L.A. school board President Richard Vladovic, who is alleged to have verbally abused underlings, told offensive jokes, made sexually inappropriate remarks and described a gay co-worker with a slur. In San Bernardino, Councilman Chas Kelley resigned and quit the race for mayor after pleading guilty to perjury in a campaign finance case, on the same day Councilman Richard Jenkins was hit with 30 criminal charges in connection with Craigslist sex ads.

It goes on: Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner pleaded guilty to felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor battery stemming from the sexual harassment charges that forced his resignation in August. Four current and former Irwindale officials faced retrial on charges they spent $200,000 on trips to New York, where they enjoyed expensive hotels and restaurants, Broadway shows and ballgames.

Plus there are the officials who say they didn’t notice the crimes of those close to them: The Montebello mayor whose husband was arrested at their home on suspicion of selling methamphetamine. As well as the Rialto school superintendent (not an elected official, to be technical) who claims no involvement in the case of an employee, with whom he was rumored to have a personal relationship, accused of embezzling $1.8 million in kids’ lunch money by stuffing it in her bra.

The not-guilty plea by the Rialto woman actually came the previous week. But still.

This is too much (alleged) unacceptable behavior for Southern Californians to shrug off — especially coming in the week Congress barely and only temporarily averted a national debt default in an agreement that ended a government shutdown after 16 shameful days.

Citizens don’t have to care about politicians’ private peccadillos. We do have to care about how they wield power, how they treat those under them, how they discharge responsibilities small and large. Put up with abuses in city hall today, and you’re putting up with abuses in the Capitol tomorrow.

What’s wrong with these people? What’s wrong with the people who put them in positions of power?

Have leaders with character and high ideals been replaced by careerists and tacticians, people who are in it for their own ego and profit? Are citizens with a gut instinct for what’s right and wrong leaving the decisions to the Fox News- and MSNBC-watching political junkies who know the game too well to find it objectionable anymore?

It’s hard to ponder the arrogance of a powerful man or woman who bullies or harasses a less-powerful colleague. It’s hard to relate to the self-regard of the few dozen clever boys and girls in the House of Representatives who thought they could — and should — overturn the Affordable Care Act, approved by a majority of voters, members of Congress and Supreme Court justices. It’s hard to miss the possible connection of one to the other.

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People need to pay attention, get involved in campaigns and vote. Not only the party activists and the plugged-in, but people who see a government shut down or a politician behaving like a jerk and get angry.

In the Los Angeles area, only small fractions of registered voters have been turning out for city and school-district elections. In many states, congressional districts are so gerrymandered that election results poorly represent the public’s will.

The vast, vast majority of the public (and public officials) is better than these misbehaving politicians. That vast majority needs to be heard.

After a week like this, the good people of America and Southern California should be shouting with anger.